Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced the New Zealand Police Air Support Unit’s fleet of three Bell 429 helicopters recently surpassed 15,000 flight hours of successful operations.
Since beginning operation in 2019, the Bell 429 aircraft have primarily served as airborne observation platforms to coordinate ground unit operations, especially when persons of interest remain present at incidents.
‘Reaching 15,000 flight hours in such a short period is a remarkable achievement for the New Zealand Police Air Support Unit and their aviation services provider, Advanced Flight,’ said Daniel McQuestin, Bell’s business development director for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Rim. ‘Bell values our work with law enforcement customers worldwide who rely on Bell 429 helicopters to safely and efficiently perform their important community missions.’
The New Zealand Police maintains 24/7 airborne coverage, equaling approximately 3,300 planned flight hours annually.
Advanced Flight also completed the final modification of the Bell 429s, installing a custom law enforcement package that suits the mission requirements of the New Zealand Police Air Support Unit. ‘Advanced Flight is proud to have supported the New Zealand Police Air Support Unit and their Bell 429 aircraft since 2019 and we look forward to continuing to provide them, as well as our other customers and their fleets, with a more diverse and specialized range of aviation services,’ shared Keith Stephens, chief executive officer, Advanced Flight. ‘Our commitment to excellence and innovation, coupled with our extensive experience and in-house training capabilities, positions us as the premier Bell 429 operator in the Southern Hemisphere.’
The Bell 429 has proven popular globally among corporate, emergency medical, and law enforcement customers worldwide due to its smooth and comfortable flight experience with best-in-class cabin space. There are over 450 Bell 429s operating globally, accumulating over 602,000 flight hours to date.
